The Travels of RU26D

Underwater gliders don’t have an easy job collecting data in the harsh environment of the ocean. But sometimes, even getting to the location of an experiment is a tremendous challenge.

In this video update (mov, 23.2MB), Dr. Josh Kohut, a physical oceanographer at Rutgers University, presents an update on the travels of RU26D from it’s checkout dive in the tropical waters of Puerto Rico to it’s ultimate destination in the frozen Ross Sea at McMurdo Station. You’ll also hear about all of its stops in New Jersey, California and New Zeleand along the way.

Of course, all of this is just the start of RU26D’s journey. It’s mission will really begin in early December when it is launched from the ice edge of Antarctica into the Ross Sea.